Brazilian Butt Lift

For many women, firm and shapely buttocks are a sign of youth and fitness. In the recent past, the only way for women to create volume in the buttocks involved unnatural-feeling implants that often bore high risks of complication.

However, recent technological advances have provided plastic surgeons with the ability to safely contour and shape the buttocks using a fat transfer augmentation procedure, also known as a “Brazilian Butt Lift.” Utilizing innovative microfat grafting techniques, our board-certified plastic surgeons now offer patients a method of achieving the firm and shapely buttocks they desire.

Keep reading below to learn about the treatment process for a Brazilian Butt Lift. Please contact the Silicon Valley Institute for Aesthetics (SVIA) today for more information, or to schedule a consultation.

What is a BBL? Candidates BBL Considerations BBL vs. Buttock Implants BBL Procedure BBL Recovery BBL Results BBL Cost Non-Surgical BBL

What is a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)?

A Brazilian Butt Lift, commonly referred to by the shortened abbreviation “BBL,” is an innovative fat transfer procedure designed to augment and shape the buttocks without an implant. In order to create an ideal size and shape, microfat injections fill out and contour the buttocks while simultaneously removing unwanted fat from another part of the body using liposuction. Common donor sites for this fat are the abdomen, thighs, love handles, and occasionally, the arms. Once the transfer is complete, the purified fat becomes reintegrated with the body and the newly contoured buttocks often experience long-lasting results. Because the technique utilizes liposuction to harvest the extra fat, adjunctive benefits in body contouring are also typically enjoyed by BBL patients.

Before & After

Brazilian Butt Lift at SVIA Plastic Surgery

Is a Brazilian Butt Lift Right for Me?

Ideal candidates for buttock augmentation have stable body weight and enough fat available for a successful transfer. Since smoking cigarettes can reduce the success of the transfer, patients who smoke are recommended to abstain for 4 weeks before the day of the procedure. Our plastic surgeons also encourage patients to practice exercises that strengthen the gluteal muscles in the weeks leading up to surgery. Patients elect to undergo buttock augmentation for a number of reasons including: reshaping the buttocks; creating more volume; the removal of excess or drooping skin; and improving the balance and proportion of the buttocks in relation to the rest of the body.

Although a consultation is necessary to definitely confirm whether you would benefit from buttock augmentation, good candidates for surgery are typically:

Seeking ways to enhance the buttocks without the use of an implant
Healthy enough to undergo the procedure and recovery process
Exhibiting good skin tone, with little to no skin laxity
Able to maintain realistic expectations and a positive outlook on the potential results
Willing and able to refrain from sitting directly on the buttocks during the healing process

Considerations for Buttock Augmentation Surgery

Dr. Jerome Liu and Dr. Tom Liu use a technique for fat grafting that minimizes trauma to the body while maximizing the success rate of the transfer. A buttock lift can redefine the shape of the buttocks and create the patient’s desired aesthetic. Our plastic surgeons’ experience with buttock augmentation allows them to carefully select liposuction sites that will compliment and highlight the renewed look of the buttocks once the procedure is complete.

The Consult

The initial consultation for buttock augmentation surgery takes approximately 45 minutes. During this time, one of our plastic surgeons will obtain a thorough medical history to better assist patients with their decision-making process. The Silicon Valley Institute for Aesthetics believes that the consultation is a time to educate patients so they are able to make fully informed decisions regarding their health and cosmetic surgery options.

Brazilian Butt Lift vs. Buttock Implants

Before modern plastic surgery techniques, buttock augmentation was typically performed using a gluteal implant. Though placement of buttock implants works to add fullness and volume to the lower body, the technique tends to produce results that look and feel less natural when compared to other approaches. Implants also present a higher risk of infection and the possibility of capsular contracture, or scar tissue formation. This occurs as a natural immune system response when the body recognizes a foreign object. For these reasons and more, our plastic surgeons at the Silicon Valley Institute for Aesthetics do not offer buttock implants and utilize more advanced, up-to-date methods of buttock enhancement.

When performed by an experienced and highly skilled plastic surgeon, a Brazilian Butt Lift achieved via fat grafting can resolve many of these concerns while still firming and shaping the buttocks.

Since your own fat is being used as a natural filler, there’s typically no risk of an allergic reaction and the likelihood of capsular contracture is reduced. For all of these reasons, a BBL is often the preferred method of buttock augmentation for individuals who are good candidates for the procedure.

How is a Brazilian Butt Lift Performed?

The operation entails liposuction of excess fat from a donor site that is purified and then injected into the buttocks in small increments. The buttocks are also smoothed and contoured by reshaping existing fat. The surgery is typically performed in 1½ to 2 hours as an outpatient procedure and general anesthesia is used for patient comfort.

What Can I Expect During the BBL Recovery Period?

Patients should plan to spend 1-2 days resting in bed after buttock augmentation. Any discomfort resulting from the procedure can often be easily remedied with pain medication. Most patients are able to return to their normal activities in 5-7 days, though our plastic surgeons recommend patients avoid strenuous activities for 3 weeks. Patients often wear a compression garment after surgery to improve the success rate of the fat transfer as well as to reduce the risk of post-surgery bruising and swelling.

How Long Do Brazilian Butt Lift Results Last?

The results of Brazilian Butt Lift surgery are designed to last for many years, if not for a lifetime. The final outcome is typically achieved after approximately six months when the majority of swelling has subsided.

The transferred fat that has survived can be considered permanent, and the fat cells collected via liposuction do not return. However, your contours can change in the future with weight fluctuation, so Dr. Jerome Liu and Dr. Tom Liu recommend living a healthy, active lifestyle to help maintain a stable weight. Once fully healed from surgery, patients who received a Brazilian Butt Lift should notice curvier, more voluptuous contours in their silhouette, as well as the way their clothing fits.

If you’re interested in complementing your BBL results with other treatments that can enhance the proportions of the lower body, options include tummy tuck surgery or a thigh lift to remove excess skin and help attain a leaner, slimmer figure.

For some patients, a post-bariatric surgery treatment plan may be the most beneficial course of action. This involves combining a series of procedures in order to address multiple regions of the body at once. Dr. Jerome Liu and Dr. Tom Liu would be happy to advise you on the most ideal procedures to achieve your goals based on your individual needs.

How Much Does a Brazilian Butt Lift Cost?

The price of a Brazilian Butt Lift generally ranges between $10,000 and $14,000 at Silicon Valley Institute for Aesthetics, which includes the various costs associated with cosmetic surgery, such as anesthesia fees, expenses for the operating facility, etc.

Costs are calculated according to factors such as the surgical techniques utilized (fat grafting and liposuction) and the complexity of the procedure.

We accept plans from some of the leading healthcare lending companies in the country, including CareCredit®, ALPHAEON™ Credit, and Prosper® Healthcare Lending.

Each of these trusted financing institutions offers qualified patients short- and long-term payment plans—often with little or no interest fees—to accommodate their individual budgetary concerns.

To learn more, please feel free to contact our Sacramento or San Jose practice to speak to a helpful member of our office. Each patient’s personalized quote will be provided after their consultation with Dr. Liu, where our plastic surgeon will have the opportunity to develop a treatment plan based on your unique needs and goals. For our cosmetic treatments and procedures, many patients find that their costs are more manageable with plastic surgery financing.

What’s the Difference Between a BBL and Non-Surgical Buttock Augmentation?

While non-surgical treatment will not yield results that are as long-lasting or customized as a Brazilian Butt Lift, patients who would like to avoid surgery also have a minimally invasive option to enhance their buttocks. At SVIA, our plastic surgeons offer a non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lift using Radiesse® — a collagen stimulating dermal filler — to add volume and fullness to the butt without surgery or downtime. Radiesse® is a volumizing injectable made up of tiny calcium microparticles suspended in an aqueous gel carrier. As Radiesse® is absorbed by the body, the calcium microspheres create a foundation for the growth of new collagen.

This can provide a noticeable plumping effect that helps lift and define the contours of the buttocks. Treatment for a non-surgical BBL involves meticulous injections of Radiesse® into the targeted areas, a process that typically takes 15 to 30 minutes. Unlike a surgical Brazilian Butt Lift, buttock augmentation using Radiesse® provides temporary results and the effects typically last for 3 to 12 months. While the outcome cannot outlast the results of cosmetic surgery, a Radiesse® BBL can allow patients to enhance the shape and volume of their buttocks without the recovery, pain, and activity restrictions associated with a surgical Brazilian Butt Lift.

Contact SVIA Plastic Surgery

Buttock augmentation can be used to improve the shape and size of the buttocks while also contouring the surrounding areas to maximize results. If you are interested in learning more about buttock augmentation, please contact Dr. Jerome Liu or Dr. Tom Liu today.